Locking mechanism for a vibratory mill

ABSTRACT

A device for supporting and locking components onto a vibratory mill. The device includes two non-circular pins located on the component which engage U-shaped resilient members positioned on the vibratory mill. The locking mechanism is engaged by rotating the component into position on the mill.

United States Patent [1 1 Knartzer [451 May 13, 1975 LOCKING MECHANISM FOR A VIBRATORY MILL [75] Inventor: Jon A. Knartzer, Buena Park, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Sweco, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.

[22] Filed: May 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 357,512

[52] US. Cl 51/163; 403/350 [51] Int. Cl B24b 3l/l2 [58] Field of Search 279/19; 51/163, 7;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith 403 350 3,462,179 8/1969 Hinkle 403/353 3,514,570 5/1970 Bernard 403/350 X 3,602,521 8/1971 Uhtenwoldt 279/1 Q 3,693,298 9/1972 Ferrara 51/163 Primary Examiner-Harold D. Whitehead Attorney, Agent, or FirmLyon and Lyon 57 ABSTRACT A device for supporting and locking components onto a vibratory mill. The device includes two non-circular pins located on the component which engage U- shaped resilient members positioned on the vibratory mill. The locking mechanism is engaged by rotating the component into position on the mill.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures LOCKING MECHANISM FOR A VIBRATORY MILL This invention is directed to a means for supporting and locking rigid components onto a vibrating body. More specifically, this invention is directed to a U- shaped locking mechanism incorporating resilient elements which engage non-circular pins for retaining rigid components on vibratory mills.

Vibratory mills for finishing, deburring, grinding mixing, and the like have come into wide use. With this increased use, sophisticated equipment has been devised to further enhance the operation of these mills. This equipment is often required to be on the mill during its operation. Further, the equipment must remain for substantial periods of time on the vibrating equipment. As a result, a need has developed for devices which are capable of supporting and locking the various accessories on these vibrating mills. Simple devices such as bolts and nuts have been found to be impractical because of the time required to assemble the equipment to the mill. Instead, over center devices have been employed to provide quick placement of the equipment on the mill. However, over center devices are inherently looser in their final position than at the center point. As a result, these devices are easily damaged by repeated mill vibrations because of this inherent loose condition. Such devices must continually be replaced.

The present invention contemplates the use of a noncircular locking pin which cooperates with a resilient U-shaped member to quickly and easily position equipment onto a vibratory mill. The use of the resilient material further helps to prevent the equipment from vibrating loose from the mill during sustained operation.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple support and locking means for attaching equipment to a vibratory mill.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a supporting and locking means for equipment positioned on a vibratory mill which can be engaged by simply rotating the equipment into position on the vibratory mill. Another object of the present invention is to provide a supporting and locking mechanism for positioning equipment on a vibratory mill which includes a resilient element that prevents a loosening ordetachment of the equipment during sustained vibration of the mill.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a supporting and locking mechanism which may be used to position equipment on vibratory mills that includes non-circular pin members which may be rotated into engagement with U-shaped resilient elements.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a vibratory mill having a screen frame positioned within the mill using the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the outboard support bracket.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the outboard support bracket with the pin in place and the pin being positioned shown in phantom.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the outboard support bracket with the pin in place. I

FIG. 6 is a front view of the inboard support bracket with the inboard pin in place.

' FIG. 7 is a top view of the inboard support bracket with the inboard pin in place.

Turning specifically to the drawings, a vibratory mill using the present invention is disclosed. The mill basically consists of a housing 10 resiliently positioned on a base 12 by coil springs 14. A motor 16 is positioned in a cylindrical tube 18. The motor 16 includes eccentric weights 20 and 22 which accomplish the desired vibration of the housing 10.

A mill chamber 24 is provided between the tube 18 and the outer periphery of the housing 10. The chamber 24 illustrated provides a helical path. This chamber maybe defined by a foamed base 26 and a plastic cast liner 28. A more conventional chamber is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,514,907 by J. R. Strom and assigned to the assignee of the present invention; the disclosure of which is incorporated herewith. The present invention may be used with these and other similar mills.

These vibratory mills operate by inducing vibration in the housing 10 using the motor 16 and eccentric weights 20 and 22. Media and parts are placed in the chamber 24. The parts and media are caused to be rubbed together or impacted against one another because of the vibratory action of the mill. In this way, the parts may be finished, deburred ground and the like. Such mills may also be used for mixing a plurality of materials. Long periods of vibration may be required to accomplish any of these several operations. Consequently, any apparatus attached to the vibratory mill must be capable of sustaining long periods of vibrations without detaching from the mill or otherwise coming apart.

One such piece of apparatus which may be employed for an extended length of time on a vibrating mill is a screen frame 30. The screen frame 30 is designed to receive parts and media vibrated around the chamber 24. The parts continue to move clockwise on the screen frame 30 and are removed from the mill at outlet 32. THe media is also moved clockwise on the screen frame 30. However, the floor 34 of the screen frame 30 has openings which are of sufficient size to receive the media. The media may then drop through the floor 34 of the screen frame 30 and return to the mill chamber 24. Sides 36 and 38 are provided on the screen frame 30 to add structural rigidity thereto and to prevent the parts from falling off the side of the frame 30. A screen frame is also disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,514,907 by J. R. Strom. One such screen frame is illustrated in FIG. 5 of the Strom patent. In Strom, the parts and media flow over the vertical dam rather than up a helical path.

Means are provided for supporting and locking the screen frame 30 onto the vibratory mill. A non-circular pin 40 is positioned on the outboard side 36 of the screen frame 30. The non-circular pin 40 may be of oval cross-section. Other, less rounded, cross-sections may also be employed where a stronger grip is required. However, the sharper the gripping area is on the pin 40, the greater the chance of damage to the remainder of the lock mechanism during vibration of the mill. A support back 42 is provided for mounting the pin 40 to the side 36 of the screen frame 30. The support back 42 may be welded to the outboard side 36 of the screen frame 30 or otherwise rigidly attached. The pin 40 is also welded to the support back 42. The pin 40 is positioned on the outboard side 36 of the screen board side 38 of the screen frame 30. The non-circular pin 46 is welded to an inboard side support back 48. The inboard side support 48 is in turn welded or otherwise rigidly fixed to the inboard side 38 of the screen frame 30. This inboard non-circular pin 46 is oriented on the screen frame 30 to cooperate with the outboard non-circular pin 40. The inboard pin 46 is also positioned on the screen frame 30 such that the major diameter of the pin will make an angle with the vertical approximately when the support frame is in place on the mill; The axes of the inboard pin 46 and the outboard pin are most conveniently coincident.

Receiving means are provided on the vibratory mill for receiving the inboard and outboard pins 46 and 40. An outboard receiving bracket 50 is positioned on the outboard side of the mill housing 10. The bracket 50 is rigidly fixed to the housing 10 by fasteners 52. Holes 54 are provided through the bracket 50 to receive the fasteners 52. The bracket 50 includes a U-shaped cutout or channel 56 which provides a base support for a resilient element 58. The resilient element 58 is employed to receive and interlock the outboard non-circular pin 40. A range of resilient materials may be employed to form the resilient element 58. Polyurethane having a Shore hardness of 60 95 has been found to be very satisfactory. It has also been found that a thickness of approximately one-fourth inch for. the polyurethane element 58 is satisfactory. The resilient element 58 may be fixed within the bracket 50 by any convenient means such as with epoxy. The width of the channel 56 within the resilient element 58 is conveniently slightly larger than the minor diameter of the pin 40. This allows the pin 40 to be easily positioned in the receiving bracket 50. Further, it is only required that the pin rotate through a small angle to engage the resilient element 58 if the width of the space within the resilient element 58 is only slightly larger than the minor diameter of the pin 40. This spacing is also affected by the ratio of the minor diameter to the major diameter of the pin as well as the angle through which the screen frame is to rotate when being positioned. By increasing the amount of rotation needed to place the screen frame and by'decreasing the ratio of the minor diameter to the major diameter of the pin, the spacing channel 56 becomes less critical.

A similar interlocking mechanism is provided on the inboard side of the mill chamber 24. An inboard receiving bracket 60 is rigidly fixed to the wall of the chamber 24 by fasteners 62. Holes 64 and 66 are provided through the bracket 60 to accommodate the fasteners 62. The bracket 60 also includesa U-shaped cutout or channel 68 for receiving a resilient element 70. The resilient element 70 is also U-shaped and may be fixed within the channel 68 by epoxy. It is most convenient that the resilient element 58 and the resilient element 70 be of similar construction. The mating surface 72 of the bracket 60 which is positioned against the wall of the chamber 24 is illustrated to becircular. If the chamber wall is formed from east polyurethane, it may be more convenient to provide a flat surface on the liner 28 to receive the inboard bracket 60.

Where it is more convenient to position the screen frame or other equipmentonto the vibratory mill from i a different direction, the entire system may be tipped accordingly. For instance, the brackets 50 and 60 may be rotated 90 along with the orientationof the pins 40' and 46. In such a placement, the screen frame would be introduced from the side of the brackets rather than n from the top thereof'Thus, the present invention may be employed with a variety of pieces of equipment. which might be employed-with a vibratory mill; The placement of the pins and brackets may also be reversed without affecting the design and concepts of the present invention. 7

Means are also conveniently positioned on the outlet end of the screen frame 30 to keep this end from vibrating. One such device for accomplishing this includes two hooks (not shown) pivotally mounted to, the side of the mill 10. The hooks are mounted to extend to engage ears 74 which extend laterally from the sides 36, and 38 of the screen frame 30; The hooks are heldin.

position by the force fit with the cars 74 and by the inherent tendency of the locking mechanisms to rotate the screen frame upward to relieve the pinsandresilient members.

Thus, a means for supporting and locking equipment onto the vibrating mill is disclosed. To engage the lock ing mechanism, the screen frame. islpositioned above the mill and is oriented at a position approximately 15 from the final placement orientation of the screen frame on the mill as shown in phantom in FIGS. 2 and 4. The screen frame is then lowered until the pins 40' and 46 enter into the channels within the resilient elements 58 and 70. The screen frame is thenpivoted about the axis of the pins'40 and 46 until it comes to J I rest on the mill housing 10. The weight of the screen frame 30 urges the screen frame 30 to remain in the down position against the reaction forces of the locking mechanisms. Further, the hooks cooperate with ears 74 to lock the screen frame 30 in the down position. The

rotation of the screen frame into the final position causes a similar rotation of the pins 40 and 46. This rotation forces the non-circular pins into the resilient'elements 58 and where they become bound. The resiliency of the elements 58 and 70 actually allows an. in-

terlocking of the elements with the pins to further re-' 7 tain the screen frame. The resiliency of the material further acts to attenuate the affect of the vibrations on. g the pin and bracket joints in order that the screen. periods of frame will remain positioned in spite of long vibration.

Thus, a locking'and support mechanism is provided which allows easy placement and removalof equipment from vibrating mills. Further, the mechanism will" not allow detaching of the positionedequipment due to herein described. The invention, therefore, is notto be restricted except as is necessary by the. spirit of theap pended claims.

What is claimed is: I 1. A lock mechanism for supporting and equipment on a vibratory mill, comprising "loc kin'g two non-circular pins rigidly fixed to the equipment having mutually coincident axes;

receiving means for receiving said non-circular pins, said receiving means including two rigid brackets having U-shaped channels cut therethrough and resilient receiving elements lining said channels into which said non-circular pins can be positioned; and

said non circular pins each having a minor crosssectional dimension which fits within each resilient receiving element and a major cross-sectional dimension which is wider than said U-shaped channel with said resilient receiving element in position, said non-circular pins and said resilient receiving elements being capable of interlocking engagement by placement of said non-circular pins in said U- shaped channels and by rotation of the equipment relative to said vibratory mill about an axis coincident with the axes of the non-circular pins, said non-circular pins being forced along the major cross-sectional dimension thereof into interlocking engagement with said resilient receiving elements.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pins are of oval cross-section.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said non-circular pins have coincident axes.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said receiving means includes two rigid brackets having U-shaped channels cut therethrough.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said resilient receiving elements line the U-shaped channels of said rigid brackets.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said non-circular pins just fit within said receiving means along a minor diameter of said pins.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said non-circular pins are angled with respect to the final position of the equipment so that said pins may be positioned without interference in said receiving means with the equipment oriented at around a 15 angle from its in-place orientation.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said resiliently lined channel includes lining material of polyurethane.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said pins physically interlock with said resiliently lined channels when the equipment is finally positioned on the vibratory mill. 

1. A lock mechanism for supporting and locking equipment on a vibratory mill, comprising two non-circular pins rigidly fixed to the equipment having mutually coincident axes; receiving means for receiving said non-circular pins, said receiving means including two rigid brackets having U-shaped channels cut therethrough and resilient receiving elements lining said channels into which said non-circular pins can be positioned; and said non circular pins each having a minor cross-sectional dimension which fits within each resilient receiving element and a major cross-sectional dimension which is wider than said U-shaped channel with said resilient receiving element in position, said non-circular pins and said resilient receiving elements being capable of interlocking engagement by placement of said non-circular pins in said U-shaped channels and by rotation of the equipment relative to said vibratory mill about an axis coincident with the axes of the non-circular pins, said non-circular pins being forced along the major cross-sectional dimension thereof into interlocking engagement with said resilient receiving elements.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pins are of oval cross-section.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said non-circular pins have coincident axes.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said receiving means includes two rigid brackets having U-shaped channels cut therethrough.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said resilient receiving elements line the U-shaped channels of said rigid brackets.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said non-circular pins just fit within said receiving means along a minor diameter of said pins.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein said non-circular pins are angled with respect to the final position of the equipment so that said pins may be positioned without interference in said receiving means with the equipment oriented at around a 15* angle from its in-place orientation.
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein said resiliently lined channel includes lining material of polyurethane.
 9. The device of claim 1 wherein said pins physically interlock with said resiliently lined channels when the equipment is finally positioned on the vibratory mill. 